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Ikigai and the Value of Life Purpose

December 9, 2008 | Author: Matthew | Filed under: Martial Arts, Philisophical, Recent Events, ikigai, mindset

A study came out a few months ago about the importance of Ikigai in one’s life.  I’d like to share the results with you and discuss the implications for us as healthful individuals and martial artists.

First, just a quick definition – Ikigai is that intangible quality that makes life seem worth living.  Ikigai is nothing in particular.  It can be a job, a loved one, a pastime, or anything else.  Basically, if there is something that fills you with hope and motivation, it could be considered one (if not the only) Ikigai in your life.

Sadly, Ikigai is not a given.  On the contrary, I believe we have to fight for it and continue to feed the flames of our passions, otherwise they will certainly die out.  But, in our toughest times, it is this same fire that fuels us to carry on; and that is exactly what Japan’s latest study has shown.

“NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – People who don’t think life is worth living are more likely to die within the next few years, research from Japan shows.  The increased death risk was mainly due to cardiovascular disease and external causes –most commonly, suicide.”

These are serious implications.  I’ve heard of studies where ownership of a pet or social activity can increase longevity, but this study takes a more broad approach and tries to quantify the value of life purpose.  Their methods were as follows:

“The investigators looked at 43,391 men and women 40 to 79 years old living in the Ohsaki region who were followed for seven years, during which time 3,048 died. All were asked, “Do you have ikigai in your life?” Fifty-nine percent said yes, 36.4 percent said they weren’t sure, and 4.6 percent said no.

Those who didn’t have a sense of ikigai were less likely to be married or employed, and were also less educated, in worse health, more mentally stressed, and in more bodily pain. They were also more likely to have limited physical function.”

It’s alarming to hear that only 59% of those asked said they definitely had Ikigai.  I wonder what the result would be if this study was done in America right now. I’d be willing to bet the number is even lower.

The trends regarding less education, less employment, etc all make sense.  Concepts such as self respect and confidence are inseparably linked to self worth.  Ikigai drives a person to excel and be happy, which invariably leads to success, be it emotional or financial. It’s amazing what self assuredness can do when pursuing a job, education, or mate.

The other critical factor here is stress. Although stress isn’t something you can see in a microscope, it kills just like any other deadly disease.  Muscular tension, mental anguish, insomnia, cardiovascular disease, lowered immunity…these are all symptoms of bad stress (As opposed to eustress).  Without Ikigai as a release valve for bad stress, the participants in this study found more and more unpleasant results occurring in their life.

“Overall, people with no sense of ikigai were 50 percent more likely to die from any cause during follow-up compared to those who did have a sense that life was worth living. They had a 60 percent greater risk of death from cardiovascular disease, most commonly stroke, and were 90 percent more likely to die of ‘external’ causes.”

And this is AFTER the scientists adjusted the test for potential external factors like history-of-illness in family and prior alcohol abuse.

Implications of Ikigai and Life Purpose

The take-away from this study is simple – find something you love and pursue it.  You’ve probably heard this a million times, but it seems your life may actually depend on it.  Make time for people/past-times that bring you happiness and cut out your sources of bad stress as if they were tumors on your body.

The implications for martial artists are even more apparent.  The martial arts provide physical activity, stress relief, confidence building, companionship, learning, and much more.  Martial arts seem to be a play-by-play aid in building Ikigai and promoting a healthy lifestyle.  Whether martial arts are one Ikigai in your life or THE Ikigai in your life – keep in mind the good it might be doing for you now, and the good it can do for you down the line.

I wonder if the old masters knew all this already?   ; – )

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 9th, 2008 and is filed under Martial Arts, Philisophical, Recent Events, ikigai, mindset. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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